Ben Spies hasꦉ revealed that a 'broken swingarm' was to blame for his accident in Sunday's US MotoGP at Laguna Seca.

Riding with an injured heel after a heavy qualifying fall, the Texan held fourth place for much of the race - despite near constant pressure from Tech 3 Yamaha rider꧂s Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow - until he was flicked off his Facto𝔍ry Yamaha on the exit of the Corkscrew with ten laps to go (pictured).

The swingarm was clearly collapsed after the accident a♐nd Spies has now confirmed that it was the reason for his fall - rather than being damaged in the after♎math.

Spies wrote on Twitter (@BenSpies11): "Sorry for the boys had a solid 4th wrap♒ped up tཧill the swingarm decided to break... When it rains it pours!"

The #11 later gave further details: "I was feeling really good, I didn't have the grip that I had in the earlier 🍎𒊎sessions with the harder tyre but in the last ten laps I was starting to pull away and I had a little left up my sleeve.

"We started to stretch out a lead over Dovi then all of a sudden at the bottom of the corkscrew the bike went out from underneath me. I had no control, it didn't slide or anything just completely we♉nt.

"At first I thought I'd hit a bump but there isn't one there. It's nꦗobody's fault but it's more bad luck."

Fo🗹urth would have matched Spi🐼es' best result of a season littered with race day incidents. Spies, just tenth in the championship, will leave Yamaha at the end of this year.

"Ben was riding very well today and was pulling away from Dovi when he crashed. This is another part of his bad season, hopefully from Indy onwards we won't have any more bad luck," said team director Massimo Meꦆregalli.